Monday, May 11, 2009

Opening Day Parade, Pt. 1

Moving past the construction phase, now it’s time for Opening Day. Over the next few days, I’ll be posting photos from the Opening Day Parade down Main Street U.S.A., July 17, 1955. Feel free to chime in and identify the people in the photos!

Nothing like flags and the military to get the patriotism started! Notice the lucky ducks with the birds-eye view up on the balcony above the Emporium.

Walt himself, in an appropriately old-fashioned vehicle. Anybody know what the two little kiosks (no longer in existence) outside of the Upjohn Pharmacy were for?

Somebody needs to tell this clown that he is going the wrong way! Based upon Daveland reader feedback, I believe that is Bob Cummings with the mike (not Art Linkletter as I originally thought).

With today’s unruly mobs, can you imagine crowd control being handled by a lone Keystone Kop?!?

8 comments:

Yes, seeing these is color is amazing! So Center St. used to have an actual street sign? (4th & 5th photos) Looks like there was another sign pointing down the street that would have read "Main St." When did these disappear?

What a dunce! Yup...they are still there, and I can't believe I've never noticed them, even though I've photographed them myself. Thanks CoxPilot for getting me to take a second look and answer my own question. Here is a recent shot:

I'll add a third for Bob Cummings; simply doesn't look like the esteemed Mr. Linkletter to me. Regarding the figures in the balcony above the Emporium, did the Barbershop Quartet exist on Opening Day? Might be iffy eyes, but the figures look like they are wearing straw boaters and striped jackets.

About Me

Photographer/artist for hire and pop culture junkie. My art has been on “Larry King Live!”, book published, and gallery exhibited. I take a lot of photographs and spend way too much time at Disneyland.